


Love Always Conquers

by lilnaugrim



Series: Winged Thedas [5]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Anal Fingering, Hot Chocolate, M/M, Snowball Fight, True Love, Wing Molting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-14
Updated: 2017-06-14
Packaged: 2018-11-14 04:53:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11200833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilnaugrim/pseuds/lilnaugrim
Summary: Dorian confesses that he is in love with Cullen finally. Snowball fighting ensues before going back to find out Cullen has a button that Dorian didn't know about.





	Love Always Conquers

Dorian smiled to himself, it was snowing in Skyhold today but it wasn’t one of those blizzards that happened occasionally. No, this snow was pleasant, delightful even! The fact that he was with Cullen only made it all the better, he started to grin, showing off white and straight teeth as he looked to Cullen. His boyfriend was currently preoccupied with a scout who had interrupted them as they had been walking along the bridge out of Skyhold, it was fairly normal occurrence. Dorian had a spare moment to appreciate his boyfriend’s wings now that his back was to the mage. It was something Dorian would never get used to; in Tevinter, one never molted their wings and had another color appear! In the south, it seemed to be very normal if one hailed from Ferelden or south Orlais. The Free Marches apparently had the same policy as Tevinter; nothing changed. Cullen looked back to Dorian and raised his eyebrow at the wide grin as the scout scampered off to leave them.

“That’s an interesting look…I’m not sure if I like it or not,” Cullen eyed him as he joined him by the edge, leaning on the built up rock of the wall on the bridge.

“It’s just…I’ve never seen anything like this, it’s beautiful and mysterious to me all at the same time!” Dorian reached a gloved hand out to caress Cullen’s wing. The Commander huffed and rolled his eyes.

“Are you on about that again?” he asked.

“And why shouldn’t I be? Your wings go from golden browns to almost pure white within a week! It is as if you had magic and changed your appearance!” Dorian exclaimed, circling around behind the Commander to inspect the wings once again. “How can you _not_ think that this would be fascinating to me? I’ve never seen this before. In Tevinter, our wings stay the color you are born with, unless you happen to dye them or paint them—nothing changes! But down here in Ferelden, apparently everything changes! This is inexplicitly exciting for me!” he explained as he lifted out one of the wings to inspect how much the white had spread through the golden browns; Cullen let him of course. “Maker, this is just so beautiful, like freshly fallen snow,” he murmured, petting the feathers. Even the tail had molted and was now mottled with white, the color was spreading from the base and outward to the tips.

“Will you ever stop fawning over me?” Cullen asked over his shoulder, spreading his tail feathers out for Dorian to look at which only made him grin.

“You make it all too easy amatus,” Dorian motioned towards the spread tail now. “In all seriousness, I don’t think I could stop fawning over you Commander, I want to spend my life fawning over you,” Dorian moved forward to wrap his arms around Cullen’s middle, under his wings so as not to restrict them as he gave him an affectionate hug.

“Your whole life?” Cullen looked back at him with a shocked expression.

“Does that surprise you? That I would be willing to spend my entire life with you?” Dorian asked him with a small smirk, leaning his cheek against the crook of Cullen’s shoulder. “It wasn’t a notion I thought much about previously—who I’d spend my life with…before all…before all this,” he looked up at the looming Skyhold castle with fondness. “Before all this, I believed myself condemned to a life of pariah-hood and singularity,” he huffed, kissing Cullen’s neck gently. “But I was stood corrected when I found the Inquisition and you. I never thought about this with Rengar, I’ll have you assured. I know you and he still aren’t on the best of terms but, I felt it important to note,” he told him, confused at Cullen’s grand smile playing on his face, usually Cullen would huff at him and roll his eyes for bringing up the Inquisitor. “Damn Andraste, what is that look for?” Dorian growled at him, needing to know but it only brought Cullen into a chuckle.

“You,” he replied simply. “You just told me that you love me,” Cullen smiled at him and removed himself from Dorian’s arms to turn around.

“I did no such thing!” Dorian shook his head.

“Is spending your life with someone and being in love with them not synonymous?” Cullen asked, his eyebrow raised as he leaned back against the wall.

“Certainly not!” Dorian shook his head again and moved forward to hold his lover again, his time he simply kept his hands at Cullen’s waist and their hips close together, he wanted to see Cullen’s expressions. “One may live with someone and not be in love with them,” he explained. He watched Cullen’s mouth stay exactly as it was; a smirk, it was not the response he had expected.

“But this is not the case with you, is it now?” Cullen righted himself to caress Dorian’s cleanly shaved cheek gently as he gazed at him.

“Of course it is!” Dorian was losing his own battle he’d forged, Cullen read him too well now. “The two are not to be thought of together you see, because it is completely mphf—!” Cullen quieted him with a forceful kiss. Dorian’s brow furrowed at the gesture but he participated. It wasn’t often that Cullen indulged himself while they weren’t explicitly hidden and Dorian would see to it that he too full advantage of the situation; except, he couldn’t. The kiss that Cullen had him in was melting him and doing him in quickly. Cullen had his hand cradling the back of the mage’s neck and pressing on a pressure point, one that Dorian often used to relieve some of the tension headaches that Cullen experienced. Dorian groaned but rather, it came out as a moan; pitiful, needy, and lustful. Cullen pulled away from him and continued his smirk.

“Go on, tell me that you love me, I know you do,” he teased the mage. Dorian grumbled at him and glared.

“If you already know then what is the point of speaking it aloud to achieve? Is there some ritual that I’m not aware of in courtship?” he asked, trying to pull Cullen back in for another sweet kiss, the Commander easily refused him as usual.

“Perhaps Ferelden _is_ more barbaric than Tevinter,” Cullen mused, it gained Dorian’s attention though as he searched the Commander’s face for some sign about what he was getting at.

“Whatever do you mean?”

“Here in Ferelden, it’s customary for two in a relationship to tell one another that they love each other very much once they reach a certain point. I suppose it could prove to be such a barbaric notion though,” Cullen teased him.

“Oh, come off it Commander, of course that’s not barbaric; that’s simply love! Yes, we have that in Tevinter too, though I’ve never had the pleasure—“ Dorian cut himself off. Cullen knew very well that this was a more sensitive topic to be going into; Dorian’s past love life.

“Then allow me the pleasure,” Cullen thumbed at Dorian’s strong jaw, “unless…” he looked into those brilliantly silver eyes, sparkling wonder at his words. “Unless you would prefer me not to tell you how much I adore you, how much I enjoy watching you work and interact. How much I love how quick you are with words and how amazingly brilliant you are. How much I love to wake in the night and watch you sleeping when the moon caresses your skin,” he replicated the touch at Dorian’s jaw which sent shivers down the mage. Cullen spoke quick and quietly, watching Dorian’s face fall into something that seemed to be a mixture of heartbreak, lust, and of course, love. Dorian had tears prickling at his eyes at the gentle words, his heart beating quickly. “I love how you always think of me and bring me food when I most need it, I love that you know me so well that you know even before I, that there is a headache coming. I love that you care for me more than anyone else has, not my family, not past lovers. You, above all others, know me for what I am and that humbles me. It breaks my heart that you’ve only known hurt and despair in love. I want to give the world to you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you too Dorian Pavus. You are the most amazing and wonderful and terrible and beautiful person I have ever had the pleasure of knowing,” Cullen grinned through his own wet eyes when he saw how moved Dorian was by his words. He was framing Dorian’s face with both his hands now and thumbing his cheeks and jaw, caressing him as Dorian’s hands held his wrists.

“Cullen,” Dorian whispered, he turned his head into the left hand as his tears loosened and fell down his cheeks.

“Of course, unless, you would prefer me…not, to say those things,” Cullen finished, a smile adorn when Dorian laughed at him but tears still fell.

“Amatus, you…you are just…” he barely found words as he looked back to Cullen from the hand that was covering his face. “Yes,” he looked at him squarely, “I love you,” he had to chuckle again through tears, ashamed that he was crying while professing love for the first time in his life.

“Com’ere,” Cullen pulled him into a full hug, kissing Dorian’s neck in a silent apology for making him cry.

“I am so sorry amatus that I do not profess my feelings as loudly as you, I hate that I am damaged in such a way that…also affects you—“ Dorian held onto him tightly, tears slowing.

“Dorian, you know exactly how messed up I am myself, do not place all the blame on yourself my love,” Cullen interrupted him which made Dorian huff.

“You…you are too good to me amatus,” Dorian shook his head best he could but held Cullen as tight as he could; determined not to let go for as long as he lived.

“You deserve only the best,” Cullen kissed his jaw.

“So I’ve been told all my life, if you keep spoiling me like this, you’ll regret it,” Dorian had to chuckle as he held tightly. Cullen grinned and continued to kiss at his jaw before he started to nose his head back to gain access to those lips he desired so much. Dorian sighed contently when he lifted his head to participate in the kiss again, salty tears had littered his lips but Cullen didn’t seem to mind the new taste. Cullen cradled his neck again to hit that pressure point and make Dorian melt in his arms. Dorian’s groin burned for his lover but he knew that Cullen wouldn’t drag him back to either of their roosts at this point in the morning. He groaned against Cullen’s lips to express his desire and need but Cullen didn’t seem to catch on, or he ignored it; likely he was ignoring it. Tongues pressed against tongues, slithering against each other to stimulate the both of them, Dorian was not entirely happy that he wasn’t going to be get any sex until the night, but he participated anyway. That was, until a huge, wet snowball hit both of their faces dead on. The pair gasped and quickly rubbed the snow off their faces as they growled and looked to find the culprit.

“Oh, of course it was you!” Dorian growled at the spymaster’s hit and fly, “no one else has such good aim!” he let go of his lover to grab some snow off the ground while Leliana giggled to them and swoop around for another hit; square in Dorian’s face.

“I’m sorry! I couldn’t resist!” she giggled loudly and landed to make the fight a little more fair. Dorian quickly packed the snow in and chucked it at the spymaster, she evaded it.

“You’ll never be able to hit her,” Cullen laughed at him and grabbed snow for himself. Leliana scrapped up some more snow and turned back around to assault the two of them. The trio was giggling and growling alternatively while they had their small snowball fight. Dorian ended up with snow down his breeches when Cullen turned on him to gang up with Leliana. Dorian shrieked at the cold snow but quickly used one of his spells to gather all the snow around and dump it onto the two offenders. It wasn’t enough snow to fully bury them, the snow came up to their knees in the end but they laughed and shivered in the pleasant cold.

“That’s what you get for messing with a Magister!” Dorian stuck his tongue out playfully.

“Altus!” Cullen laughed with his correction.

“You do realize that you’ve now supplied us with more snow, yes?” Leliana asked him, already gathering up more snowballs.

“Kaffas!” Dorian swore and tried to run away. Cullen went to chase him but Leliana stuffed the snowball down his own breeches; laughing when the Commander squeaked and shrieked just as much as Dorian had. “Ha!” Dorian laughed back at him. “Not so funny now, is it?” he asked as he came back around with more snow for them. He was hit in the face again by Leliana. “Hey!” he was nearly thrown back onto his ass. Cullen recovered quickly and grabbed a couple of snowballs and scampered away to find a safe spot to throw them from while Leliana assaulted the mage continually.

“Snowball fight!” Someone rang out from above them, swooping around to hit all three of them.

“Sera!” Leliana called out to the playful archer.

“Oh come off it! You have a snowball fight and expect me not to find out about it? You’re insane!” Sera landed to fling prepared snowballs at them. Dorian dove to avoid one of them and rolled to his lover to find security behind him.

“I’m not prepared for this!” Dorian called out behind his shield.

“That’s the fun of it all!” Sera giggled when she teamed up with Leliana to batter the boys.

“Kaffas!” Dorian swore again, “Fasta vass!” he growled when Cullen laughed at him.

“Come on, play with us!” Cullen egged him before he was smattered in the face with one of Sera’s snowballs. “Hey! This isn’t fair! You two are both archers and have fantastic aim! I’m just a Templar!”

“Ex-Templar,” Dorian grumbled his correction.

“I’m not meant for this!” Cullen yelled out. “Wait! Wait! Truce!” He quickly stood up; causing Dorian to fall back to his ass since he was leaning on him.

“Truce?” Leliana asked him, eyebrow quirking just as Sera threw another snowball at Cullen’s groin, thankfully it wasn’t a hard snowball. Cullen grumbled and gave her a jaded look.

“Why don’t we have a proper snowball fight? Assemble our teams and convince the others to join us?” he asked both of them.

“Alright,” Leliana nodded, “it’s a good stress reliever, I agree,” she smiled and looked to Sera who had folded her arms in disgust.

“Why can’t we just continue this? You big shots always have to go and ruin the fun, make it ‘proper’ and all,” she huffed and rolled her eyes.

“Because then you can take out more people with hits to the groin Sera…” Cullen pointed to his own, snow falling off some of his clothing. Sera seemed to debate about it, a smile creeping onto her face.

“Alright,” she agreed.

“Okay, let’s go assemble our teams then!” Cullen grinned with a nod.

“Agreed!” Leliana immediately flew off to find people for her team.

“Come on! Let’s go get Rengar, Iron Bull, Varric, Blackwall, and Solas!” Cullen rushed over to his lover who was still sitting on the snow covered ground looking miserable. Dorian looked up at him but accepted the hand that offered to help him up.

“You owe me a lot of sex after this,” he warned Cullen who laughed.

“Alright, I promise, let’s go get them before Leliana converts them! You go get Rengar and Bull. I’m sure you’ll be able to persuade them just fine,” Cullen jumped into the snowy air with his lover in tow.

“Alright, fine!” Dorian zoomed off to find his victims; sex was at stake now! Cullen laughed at him and followed gleefully; this was the most fun he had had in months! Other than when he was with Dorian of course! Cullen quickly flew into the keep to find his own people. He easily convinced Blackwall somehow, Cullen wasn’t entirely sure how it was possible but he readily accepted the challenge and agreed to go with him to pressure Solas into it as well. Solas, after a moment of careful consideration, accepted as well. He stated that it would be a nice change of events and would likely lift the spirits and morale of the Inquisition. Finally, the three of them met up with Dorian and his two to convince Varric to join to make the seventh member of their team. Leliana was at his spot with Cassandra; trying to convince them.

“Don’t take their offer Varric!” Cullen rushed up to them.

“I’m sorry Commander, they gave me something that I simply couldn’t refuse,” Varric shook his head with a small smile. Cassandra was looking rather smug.

“Besides, I believe that makes us even Commander,” Cassandra spoke up, looking at the six of them.

“Who else do you have?” Rengar came up next to Cullen.

“Vivienne, Sera, and Josie,” Leliana nodded. “Cole said he would keep out of the fighting, he didn’t want to hurt anyone,” she chuckled with a nod.

“Alright, let’s take ten minutes to assemble clothing’s if you need to and we’ll meet back here to lay out the rules, alright?” Cullen told them all. The group nodded and quickly dispersed to get their persons ready. Cullen didn’t feel the need to change so he followed Dorian to his room, Dorian wanted more layers on.

“You know what we could do while we’re here?” Dorian asked him once they were inside; he pushed Cullen against the door to invade his space and kiss him needy and lustful.

“No, no, not right now! Get your things! We need to be ready!” Cullen gently pulled Dorian off him and tried to steer him towards the bureau where his clothing’s were.

“Hmm, competitive, aren’t we?” Dorian mused as he looked at the Commander.

“You didn’t figure that out when you hadn’t broken it off with Rengar a couple months ago?” Cullen asked, his eyebrow raised.

“True enough,” Dorian smirked at him, glancing to him while Cullen waited on him. “It’s cute you know,” he grabbed what he wanted to get and donned the layers.

“Hm?” Cullen looked over to him, wondering what he was talking about.

“Ah and now you play clueless,” Dorian chuckled, going up to give him a smooch.

“What do you mean?” Cullen furrowed his brow but accepted the kiss.

“You are truly something else, the Maker did right when he made you, and all for me it seems,” Dorian shook his head and kissed him again, gently and lovingly. Cullen smiled at the compliment and pulled Dorian into an embrace for that to reward him. Dorian purred in delight for being held, Cullen wasn’t kissing him but that was alright; this was just as good. “I love this,” Dorian pushed his head into Cullen’s neck; accidentally tickling the Commander which made him giggle. Dorian grinned and licked at the open neck before he cuddled into the embrace further; pressing their bodies together. “This, I definitely love this,” he sighed contently.

“We should get to the hall before the others think we’ve ditched them,” Cullen started to back away but Dorian whined and pulled him back.

“No! Just a couple more minutes?” he begged, “please?” he really begged, looking up at Cullen from his shoulder with a pout. Cullen smirked and chuckled at him as he sighed and reaffirmed his hold; getting his hands under Dorian’s wings to hold his body closer. Dorian purred again, settling back into the hold, it was so warm after being out in the chilly winter air. “When we’re done, I want to come back here and lay in front of the fire with you and simply cuddle until we fall asleep, perhaps we can make some hot chocolate too? It’s been a while and I have a small stash I could treat you to,” he suggested.

“Oh? A stash? I see you save only the best for me, hm?” Cullen chuckled and kissed Dorian’s neck gently, just a simple press of the lips.

“Always amatus,” Dorian grinned, mustache curling up. “One more kiss and we can leave.”

“Ah, stipulations I see,” Cullen huffed at him but moved back to oblige him. Dorian wanted more than Cullen was willing to give at the moment but through licks and quiet moans from Dorian, it quickly seduced Cullen into giving more. It was a heated kiss they shared, tongues against tongues and breathy moans shared between. Dorian cupped Cullen’s jaw to keep him close while they made out in his room, his other hand went down to sneak under Cullen’s tail feather to grab at his ass which caused the Commander to groan loudly with pleasure.

“How have I not figured that out before?” Dorian asked him, trying to sneak his hand into Cullen’s breeches but Cullen quickly backed away and grabbed the mage’s nimble hands to keep him from going further.

“We can discuss that later, come now,” Cullen shook his head as he tried to escape his lover but Dorian grinned as he followed quickly to grab at his ass again, this time Cullen growled at him and forcibly grabbed the hand to hold it to ensure that it didn’t escape. Through Dorian’s attempted grabs and squirming, the pair found themselves backed up against the solid wooden door; Dorian grinning to Cullen as he pressed his body against the Commander.

“You should have told me before that you liked this, I would have obliged you with anything amatus, you know this, yes?” Dorian was finally able to get both hands under Cullen’s tail feathers to grab at his ass and pull his lower half flush against his own hips. Cullen’s face was red now with embarrassment and desire.

“Please Dorian, later?” Cullen whined to him, begging him to stop as Dorian came forward to press more lips against Cullen’s neck and gave a little bite. “Fuck…” Cullen let out the swear word, surprising even Dorian with it. Cullen wasn’t exactly protesting the lavishing he was receiving but he was very much still interested in the impending snowball fight! “Please…Dorian, please, later?” he asked quietly, he had let his head fall to the side to allow easier access for his lover while Dorian kept their hips pressed together and rutted against him occasionally. With the change of pace, Cullen was rather hard, he regretted ever following Dorian to his room; he knew it would end like this. “If you can’t finish me off now, then please! Let go of me!” Cullen begged him.

“I can finish you off, that’s the easy part,” Dorian chuckled at him. “Relax amatus, we still have another four minutes,” Dorian soothed his neck and kissed his cheek instead. Cullen’s breath was coming short with the erection and need to be satiated. “Do you trust me, love?” he asked, hands still kneading Cullen’s backside. Cullen looked at him from against the door, contemplating for a moment before he nodded. “Good, then let me work some magic on you—not actual magic, but it will feel just as good, I promise you,” Dorian grinned at him. “Come, to the nest,” he pointed and shooed Cullen over. “Breeches down, come on, you’ll have to help me speed this up a little,” he removed a couple of his own layers; much too warm now after such activities. He grabbed the oil vial as Cullen settled into the nest and moved up as per Dorian’s instructions. Cullen watched as Dorian crawled into the nest with him and laid to his side at his hip.

“What’re you going to do?” Cullen asked him, his thick cock against his hip was completely hard and ready to fuck something.

“First and fore mostly, I’ll suck you off but I’m going to add one little thing that I know you’ll love. My finger,” Dorian looked up at him with a smirk, “up your ass,” he grinned when Cullen shifted; he was clearly uncomfortable with this.

“I…I’m not so sure, are you sure this is a good idea?” he asked nervously.

“You said you trusted me amatus, do you or do you not?” Dorian asked.

“I…I do,” Cullen nodded but his body shivered in anticipation.

“Then relax yourself amatus, let me do all the work, alright?” Dorian rubbed at Cullen’s hip with his warm hand before he dragged it inward to grab at the red and hard member, bending his head down to flick his tongue out at the slit. Cullen groaned at the lick, he tried pressing his hips up to find more but Dorian only chuckled at him.

“Get on with it! We only have three minutes!” Cullen growled at him.

“Alright, alright, I’ll tease you later then,” Dorian chuckled before he took him down completely. While he sucked him off and swirled his tongue around the head, Dorian also slicked up his middle finger with the oil and pressed the pad against Cullen’s puckered entrance. Cullen pulled away from him at first which he had expected, but with a little persuasion, Dorian was able to gently massage out the muscles and get his finger inside. Cullen’s moan was beautiful, he was doing his best to quiet his writhing but it wasn’t helping that much. Once Dorian’s finger was totally inside of him, Cullen brought his left knee up to allow for more space. Dorian continued to work him, gently prodding in and out to relax him while Cullen’s moans increased. Dorian was pleased with this outcome, he knew how this felt and he was glad he was able to share it with his lover. Finally, Dorian stopped his finger and pressed against the wall of Cullen’s anus to find that one spot, the organ that he searched for. Cullen’s immediate buck upwards was enough to let him know that he found it, it also followed with a string of liquid flooding into Dorian’s mouth. Dorian kept his mouth at the top of the cock to allow himself to swallow while he continually pressed against the organ to induce Cullen into cumming. Cullen was unbridled now, moaning and panting at the stimulation.

“More! More, please!” he begged.

“More fingers or more pressure?” Dorian asked when he popped off for a moment.

“All of it!” Cullen gasped out; sweating now with the endeavor as more liquid spilled from him and onto his stomach. Dorian leaned down to lick it up and get that lovely cock back into his mouth as he oiled his pointer finger to introduce it as well. More pressure had Cullen seeing stars as he finally and ultimately came into Dorian’s mouth, the mage sucking him down greedily as he massaged the organ to its completion. Once he was finished, Dorian gently released his cock and let it lay on Cullen’s pale hip as he swallowed the rest of the cum.

“So…” Dorian grinned up to him, fingers still resting in his ass. Cullen had his head tilted back and hands fisted into the pillows and nest bottom as he tried to remember to breathe. He laid there for a few more moments while Dorian gently pulled his fingers out; Cullen groaned at the absence and almost whined but he remembered that he was the one who wanted to leave in the first place.

“Wow…” Cullen breathed out. “I…I never knew that…never thought…” he couldn’t find the words he wanted. Dorian chuckled at him and gave him gentle kisses on his hip and thigh.

“We can do more of that later, it feels even better when you take your time,” Dorian got up onto his knees to reach for a towel to clean off his fingers. “Come, let us not be late!” he grinned as he got out of the nest and waited for Cullen to groan at him but get himself up as well; pulling up his breeches to tie them tight again. Dorian quickly grabbed at Cullen’s jaw to pull him into a rough kiss before he grabbed his layers again and pulled Cullen out to meet the teams downstairs.

                Cullen grumbled when everyone was already ready in the hall, they were the last to arrive. He tried to ignore the smirks and some looks of distain, primarily from Vivienne actually; she didn’t seem too enthused about Dorian.

“Took you long enough,” Leliana grinned to them.

“Yes well, we were discussing tactics is all,” Cullen told them, the entire group burst out in laughter at the blatant lie. Cullen’s entire face went red, up to the tip of his ears as he glowered at them all. “Alright!” he growled loudly to get their attention, “the rules are this—“

“Oh come on already, rules? Can’t we just have some good fun?” Sera asked, folding her arms to huff at him.

“Yeah, let’s just have a good fight, let off some steam,” Varric nodded. Cullen looked to his team.

“I think there ought to be some rules in place, like no throwing ice,” Blackwall nodded in agreement.

“Well that’s a given darling,” Vivienne shrugged.

“What about magic?” Josie asked.

“No magic,” Cullen told her. “Vivienne, perhaps we can make some ice walls to define sides and hides?” he suggested and she nodded.

“I agree.”

“Alright, let’s go!” Cullen grinned to them all. The Inquisition team cheered and hurried out the door and ran towards the courtyard and then down the stairs to the gate. They were to have the fight outside of the castle so as not to hurt anyone else. Down the bridge and the path down they came to a large clearing that had likely been used for training before. Vivienne and Rengar set up the walls of ice, they varied in height and thickness; some you could see through and others you couldn’t. It was almost a maze of walls and freshly powdered snow everywhere. Soon, the fight began!

                Dorian dove from wall to wall, avoiding the snow being thrown at him as he gathered his own. He wasn’t as good of an aim as Leliana, Sera, and Varric were, but damn, he had a hard throw at least. There was one point he almost knocked out Vivienne; it didn’t score any kudos points with her unfortunately. It was all good until Leliana and Sera launched another aerial assault; burying Dorian with cold snow so that he shrieked again.

“Hey! Not fair!” He stood up to yell at them. Next thing he knew, another wet snowball hit his face but it wasn’t from the other side. He yelped and looked to find the culprit. “Cullen!” he growled and ran to dodge more snowballs to get to his laughing lover. “You’ll pay for that!” Dorian growled at him, punching Cullen’s arm.

“Hey,” Cullen chuckled before he grabbed Dorian and turned to press him against the ice block in front of them. Cullen’s look softened to him as he started to smile. Dorian invited the kiss even though his wings felt frozen again the ice wall. He took in a sharp breath when Cullen pressed a little harder; the pair stopped when a loud crack was sound. The next thing they knew, they were yelping and falling down with the ice wall and then were pummeled with all the snowballs from both sides.

“Hey!” Cullen yelled out before he scurried and dragged Dorian behind the next ice blocade. “What’re you all doing to us! We’re on your side!” he yelled at Bull and Blackwall who were laughing.

“Not when you two keep snogging like that!” Bull laughed at them.

“It was for two seconds! You can’t turn on us for that!” Cullen growled at them, “traitors!”

“It’s alright amatus, we’ll hold our own!” Dorian quickly raised up more ice walls perpendicular to the ones already standing to make a third side of the fight. Cullen grinned at him and kissed his cheek in a sign of thanks before he ran to gather more snowballs.

                The fight ensued for another half hour, the teams giggling to each other and yelling across the ice blockades to one another. Finally, everyone was pooped and exhausted from the endeavors. Dorian was cold and shivering now that he’d slowed his movements and used more magic than he had wanted to while dumping snow onto Leliana’s team. Cassandra was the first to surrender, standing in the middle on her hip with her arms folded as Blackwall had thrown one last snowball at her which hit her neck and shoulder. He tried to sneak away to hide under a block so she didn’t yell at him, it didn’t help him though. Soon enough, everyone was walking back up to the keep, chattering about what fun that was and how it was needed; it had been a good stress reliever and outlet for them all. Cullen allowed Dorian to openly hold his hand as they walked. Dorian himself, was growing fonder and fonder of the South and the fact that he could have this wonderful relationship with Cullen and no one seemed to give a rats ass about them. Of course, other than the jokes about the Commander they still endured and the knowing looks or giggles, it was all good though, he was happy.

                Dorian sighed when they were back at his own room. He lit the fire, Cullen would still jump at his magic time to time if his mind was preoccupied or he wasn’t expecting it.

“Why do you still jump? You know I’m going to light the fire when we enter the room,” he had to ask, turning to his lover as he backed up to the fire to try to dry off his wings and tail while removing the outer layers to toss aside.

“Hm?” Cullen looked up to him, also removing the layers. “What do you mean?”

“You jump, startled it seems, whenever I use my magic. You don’t do it with Rengar or Solas, just me. Does magic scare you that much?” Dorian rephrased and tilted his head.

“Scare me? Sure, once it did when I didn’t understand it and even now if it’s used improperly I would be scared of it. But no, I’m not scared of your magic,” Cullen shook his head and came alongside him to do the same with his wings and tail; relishing in the heat.

“Then what is it?” Dorian prodded, needing to know. “Each time I light a fire or today when I raised ice walls, you seemed to jump at the magic. You always have and it interests me, I need to know why. Is it because we’re involved? Or do you just not expect the magic? Though, by now, I would hope that you knew me well enough to know I like my heat,” he chuckled and motioned to the fire as he finished taking off his outer layers and started on the buckles of normal leather attire.

“I’m not entirely sure, I can still sense your magic of course and it’s…different from everyone else’s. It makes my hairs stand on end, see?” Cullen held up his arm to show all the little hairs that stood up. “I don’t know if it’s because you’re from Tevinter or something else but it’s just….it just feels different. I’m used to all the magic around here in Ferelden and the Free Marches. Vivienne’s magic feels different as well, not as strongly as yours but it’s definitely not the same,” he explained.

“Hm…I wonder if it has anything to do with family lineages perhaps?” Dorian mused, fiddling with his mustache. “It’s been a long time since my family’s line has been…allow me to be a little pompous here, ‘muddled’ as we would say, with lines from other lands. It’s probable then that my magic differ greatly from those in Ferelden or the Free Marches. Did you know that I am related to our lovely Lord?” Dorian grinned, looking up to Cullen who had an eyebrow raised now.

“Related? Wouldn’t that…that makes dating a little awkward then, doesn’t it?” Cullen asked without much hesitation which made Dorian laugh.

“Oh, it’s been centuries gone now but there was one point in time where the Trevelyan’s came from my family and started their own branch out in the Free Marches. Why they would ever want to leave the Imperium is far beyond me!” he chuckled at the mild joke.

“Ah yes,” Cullen chuckled along with the joke and nodded. “So, yes, I guess your magic is just…different is all.” He shrugged.

“Well that makes me feel better at least, I thought I was hurting you with the way you’d jump every time I lit a fire,” Dorian smiled to him, spreading out his tail feathers more so he could dry them off.

“I didn’t even notice it to be perfectly honest, the jumping I mean,” Cullen shrugged again as he stretched out his wings and his arms before he moved away to start removing more of his clothing. “So where is that hot chocolate that you promised me?” he asked.

“You dirty devil, I was hoping that you’d forgotten,” Dorian chuckled before he too left the fire to find his stash.

“I’d never forget an offer like that!” Cullen exclaimed as he ran his hand through his hair to get it to smooth back again.

                The pair romped in Dorian’s nest for a while before heating water to mix the hot cocoa. They reveled in the deep chocolate flavor as they lounged by the fire. This was the life that they wanted to lead; together and comfortable by some fire sipping hot chocolate.


End file.
